VOLUNTEERS will take to the River Avon to pass on a relay baton for the Running Out of Time national sporting celebration when it passes through Bradford on Avon on Wednesday (July 5).

The relay is expected to arrive in the historic market town at around 12.30pm and there will be great celebrations around the Tithe Barn as the baton changes hands.

Billed as Britain’s biggest sporting celebration of climate action and nature, the national relay baton event is taking place between June 10 and July 11.

Thousands of runners, walkers, wheelers and cyclists will relay the baton 2,661 kilometres from Ben Nevis to Big Ben in Westminster, London, travelling through 50 cities and towns and some of our most beautiful countryside.

The aim is to visit initiatives of every scale that confront the climate crisis and preserve, restore and protect our nature and wildlife.

Its journey from Bath to Oxford will feature historic landmarks, stunning natural sites, schools, universities, community projects, cutting-edge technology and sporting venues.

 

After arriving along the Kennet & Avon Canal from Bath the baton will be handed to a canoeist on the River Avon near the willow maze who will carry it down the river to the town's rowing club.

There, Sally Heselton and Bob Race will use two coracles to paddle it across the river to hand it on to paddle boarders and then skate boarders who will convey it to the Tithe Barn where a Morris Dancing group will pass it along in a special dance.

It will then be handed to members of the Christchurch Primary School eco group who will carry it up to Fitzmaurice Primary School where the children will hand it on to cyclists to carry to Oxford.

The town’s former mayor Cllr Alex Kay and her helpers have designed and made a special welcome banner out of re-cycled materials to celebrate the baton's arrival.Wiltshire Times: The special banner for the Running Out of Time national baton relay designed by Cllr Alex Kay and her helpers. The special banner for the Running Out of Time national baton relay designed by Cllr Alex Kay and her helpers. (Image: Climate Friendly Bradford on Avon)

The town's mayor, Cllr Katie Vigar, said: "This relay is a fantastic way to highlight the urgency of the climate crisis and it’s very exciting that the route comes through Bradford on Avon where so many of our residents care hugely about this critical issue.

"The Town Council does it’s best to make the changes we can across our areas of work, and we look to government to take a lead nationally and internationally. There’s no time to lose.”

For further information please see https://running-out-of-time.com/ or email climatechampions@gmail.com